The Bender Games
by TiniHaris
Summary: Four tributes of each Nation are chosen as they battle for life and glory in the United Republic's annual Bender Games. Good Luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor...


**Hehe so here we are again! Everyone knows the Hunger Games right? What if the Hunger Games met the Avatar world, hrmmm, let's explore. Let me know what you think about this one, I'm not going to continue it unless people really like it, it can go either way, so tell me what you think!**

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><p>Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. I was told all of those meant something, that the four elements were something more than what they appeared, and that they actually stood as four nations. But who am I kidding, that's ancient history.<p>

Long ago the four nations did live in harmony, each a powerful nation ruled by their own government. We were separate back then, we were equal. Those with bending abilities were praised and honored, chosen as royalty or high ranking members of the army. As the benders were praised, non benders grew jealous. So much that many of them left their nation homes and moved to the large Earth Kingdom territory and began their own country, the United Republic. They grew strong and powerful and eventually, the non benders, known as the Equalists slowly took over the Earth Kingdom, and then the Fire Nation, and finally my home in the Southern Water Tribe. We lived in peace under the rule of the United Republic, benders weren't allowed to use their abilities, or 'differences', what the Equalists called them. Everything was okay until the uprising.

The story is told differently by each person you ask, but the Air Nomads were the last of the unconquered nations. Lead by the current Avatar Aang, the nomads protested the unity of the nations under one ruler, and the discrimination of non benders. I was told he air nomads were peaceful but the Equalists saw them as a threat and as an all bending society, they needed to be wiped out. The nations last hope was diminished as the last airbender, Avatar Aang fell in his Avatar State, cutting the line completely of future Avatars. Benders were left to fend for themselves, against the United Republic; little did they know they'd be fighting one another.

Since the uprising, each year the United Republic hosts The Bender Games. Each year two boys and two girls from each nation of bending ability are taken to the United Republic capitol and are paired into teams, yet only one victor is declared, and only one lives. The Equalists host these games each year to remind us of 'What happens to those who disobey'. It's been almost 100 years since the beginning of the games; it's become a thing of celebration now, watched by everyone, where benders can actually show their abilities to the world, and die with honor…well that's another lie. Each year on this day is torture for my people; benders are becoming scarce in my village,

I'm one of the last waterbenders.

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><p>"Sokka, Sokka come on." Katara called for the fifth time before swinging the leather door open to the young boy's bedroom. Sokka sat in the corner of the room, his blue eyes wandering towards the open hole in their icy home towards the town square, people gathering as the United Republic ship docked along the coastline.<p>

"Is everything okay?" Katara asked softly causing a sneer from the young boy.

"No, you know what day it is. I hate this day." Sokka answered while turning towards his sister.

"Sokka," Katara began with a smile as she walked into her brothers room, "It's my last year. I'll be sixteen next year and I won't qualify anymore."

"How do you know?" He asked; despair running across his eyes, "We're running out of benders, who knows they might draw names until you're one hundred."

"Maybe they'll draw names from just the Northern Tribe next time. We're lucky that they just take two of us instead of four."

"We'd be lucky if they didn't do this at all!"

"Oh Sokka, I'll be fine. It's my last ballot. I'm going to be okay." She gripped her brother tight in her arms, "I promise."

"Better promise." Sokka smirked through her shoulder as he and their father made their way towards the now bustling towns square. Everyone gathered around the large ice totem pole, mothers clutching to their young children as they relinquished their bending offspring towards the front of the group. Katara and Sokka managed to push their way through the crowd towards the front of the audience, Katara stopping momentarily as her blue eyes cast on her neighbors, grief flooding their faces.

"Kira?" Katara spoke softly to the middle aged woman who clung to her husband's side.

"Oh, hello Katara," Kira replied as a weak smile crossed her face.

"Why are you so sad?" asked Sokka only to cause another tear to drop from Kira's face.

"For the longest time we have tried to have a child of our own," Kira's husband began, "And finally we were blessed with a beautiful little girl, but she's a waterbender, and today we might lose her."

Katara frowned as she watched the couple once again console within one another. Her lips puckered inwards as her mind wandered at ways to give them some comfort as the Equalists began to take their places around the square.

"Don't worry Kira," Katara spoke with a smile, "There are a lot of benders still left in the tribe. I was 11 when I was put in the ballot, and I haven't been called yet." Not a total lie, but it would have to do for now.

"I pray our daughter is as lucky as you Katara." Kira spoke with a half smile.

"Good morning!" A large and rather cheery voice silenced the Water Tribe as a white haired girl took center to the square, standing next to two large glass bowls full of folded blue sheets of paper, "Happy Bender Games!"

The crowd remained silent as the announcer gave a sour look before her eyes once again sparkled with an eerie sense of joy, "As you all have noticed our lovely Alisha has retired from the Games after sixty drawings, my name is Tea, and I will be your new host! Let's begin shall we!"

She gave another joyous smile as her hands wiggled around the first ballot box, "Ladies first…"

Katara could feel Sokka's eyes on her as she turned around, giving him a gentle smile, "I'll be fine." She whispered to him. Her eyes drew from her brother down towards a young girl standing next to her, "Are you Kira's daughter?" She asked softly.

The braided haired girl looked up towards Katara before smiling, her mouth full of missing baby teeth, "Yeah, my name's-"

"Sakura Riverdeen!" Tea finished. The once silent crowd broke into noise as Kira let out a wail of terror as her daughter was pulled towards the front by the Equalists. Sakura screamed as she tried to fight off the strong hands of the adults as her mother was detained by several other guards in the square. Katara watched the madness unfold as tears flooded Sakura's eyes. She was only eleven years old; she would die within the first round of the Games. Glancing back towards Kira and her husband Katara closed her eyes, she wasn't sure how it came out, or what she was thinking, but the entire crowd, and in her mind the world stopped as she shouted,

"I volunteer!"

Tea and the other guards stopped as Katara took an uneasy breath. She could once again feel Sokka's eyes on her again, and that of all the other members of her tribe. She didn't know what it was, yet an overwhelming sense of confidence took over her body as she repeated, "I volunteer for The Bender Games."

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><p><em>"In what an amazing drawing today ladies and gentlemen as the first brother and sister pair are pulled for the 99th Bender Games, The Fire Nation is honored by its four final contestants-"<em>

"Zu-Zu! You turned t off before they said our names!" Azula sneered as she and her older brother sat across from one another in their large lavish living room. Zuko rolled his eyes as he pushed the metal radio off the end table as it crashed into pieces on the floor.

"Who cares." Zuko growled as he crossed his arms.

"I do. And you should too dumb-dumb," The golden eyed girl smiled as her eyes sparkled, "to be in the Bender Games is a chance at glory, and besides, the Fire Nation has won the most out of all 98 games and no one is going to ruin our twelve year winning streak. Even father won, and he became the governing ruler of the Fire Nation."

"Well excuse me that I don't want to kill members of our own nation, and family for glory. Benders shouldn't have to fight against one another to win a stupid-"

"Boring!" Azula shouted as she yawned before stretching her back as she stood up, "No one cares Zu-Zu if someone has to die, that's why they call the winners, winners. Besides who says you're going to win, you're the worst fire bender ever."

"How about we fight right now!"

"Enough!" The two siblings withdrew from each other as they stood and bowed as their father came into the room before taking a seat on the ornate furniture.

"You two should be honored to be chosen as contestants of the Bender Games." Ozai began as he eyed his youngest daughter Azula, "I know you two will honor the Nation's tradition."

"If you mean win father, then yes."

Ozai smiled at Azula's remark. "Good. Anything to add Zuko?"

The dark haired boy straitened his back as he nervously look his father in the eye, "I'll make you proud father."

"I don't care what you do as long as one of my children win. Consider this time to redeem yourself from your latest embarrassment Zuko, and for you Azula consider this your time to ascent to my second in command."

Azula smirked as Zuko drew his hand towards his scared face.

Ozai turned away from his children as he exited towards the door, "You're training begins tomorrow. Oh and…best of luck to you."

"You're going to need it." Azula snickered as she followed her father out of the room. Zuko let out another sigh as he turned his eyes towards the courtyard of his home, his mind preparing itself for the up and coming Games.

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><p><strong>Hmmm, what do you think? I dunno just playing around with some possibilities for something to write. Lemme know what you think! <strong>

**Rate and review. **


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